1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the processing of textiles and more particularly is directed towards a new and improved method and apparatus for removing liquid, such as a scouring solvent, from a running web. This invention relates to means for controlling the level of mist in a closed chamber such as a solvent scouring apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In my U.S. Pat. 3,771,952 as in my co-pending applications, Ser. No. 207,430 now Pat. No. 3,803,879, filed Dec. 13, 1971, entitled "Method & Apparatus for Cleaning Fabric" and in Ser. No. 240,602 now Pat. No. 3,828,587, filed Apr. 3, 1972, for "Fabric Treatment Apparatus" there are shown machines for scouring textiles on a continuous basis wherein the web is carried first through a wetting stage in which it is scoured by liquid solvent to remove inpurities. Once the scouring operation is finished, the web is carried over a suction box to remove some of the scouring liquid and thence it is transferred to a drying chamber wherein the remaining solvent in the web is removed. While the method and apparatus disclosed in the patent and the co-pending applications produce satisfactory results it has now been found that the web may be dried more quickly and with reduced drying facilities if a greater portion of the liquid is removed from the web prior to entering the drying chamber. It has also been found that this drying is enhanced if the amount of the chemical mist within the enclosed scouring chamber is kept to a minimum.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method and associated apparatus for reducing the amount of liquid in a web that has been soaked prior to delivering the same to a drying stage. Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method and associated apparatus for reducing the amount of mechanical mist distributed within a closed chamber of a scouring range or the like.